


behind closed doors

by lovelyethereal



Series: Reddie Fics [1]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Friends With Benefits, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, No Smut, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, nothing graphic, richie uses his words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 12:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21208688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyethereal/pseuds/lovelyethereal
Summary: "It's a natural response, really. I mean," He places a hand against the cool wall next to Eddie's head, leaning close to the other boy's face. Close enough to feel his breath fanning over his face. "Especially when the boy I love, loves me back."Eddie's gaze snaps back to meet Richie's, now realizing their proximity is much closer than he originally thought. His heart is in his throat. "You- you love me?"





	behind closed doors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Semi_problematic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semi_problematic/gifts).

Eddie watches Richie from across the room, flirting effortlessly with a girl that he knows is out of his league. He's throwing his head back as he laughs at something the girl says, she has a hand on his shoulder, slowly inching down the length of his arm until she has her hand on his elbow, smiling wide.

His heart is beating wildly with contained jealousy. He wants nothing more than stop watching them and pay attention to the story that Beverly is currently telling in animated fashion, eyes bright and luminous with excitement, but something wills him to keep watching. It's not because he wants to, definitely not.

He's not sure where the jealousy comes from, he knows he shouldn't—can't—feel this way for multiple reasons, and he and Richie had a deal. Call it a friends-with-benefits situation, no strings attached. It mostly consisted of making out in the backseat of Richie's car, grinding and groping at one another for some sort of release. Until one night about a month prior when they let things go too far. Eddie isn't exactly sure how it happened, it still feels like a blur, but he distinctly remembers undressing rather quickly and the phrase 'yes, I want to' had never left his mouth so quickly.

He is now literally and figuratively fucked because he is left with bottled up feelings that he has no idea what to do with. He realizes it's not healthy to keep all of this to himself but he promised he would keep their situation between them. Now he's forced to watch Richie flirt shamelessly with other people right in front of him and act like it doesn't bother him because they're friends. _Just friends_.

Eddie could feel himself grinding his teeth, a voice in the back of his mind feeling him to stop because it's a bad habit but his focus was strictly on Richie and this girl who was now standing way too close for Eddie's liking.

"-die. Eddie?" Stan's voice catches him off guard, head snapping toward him where he sat at the corner of the booth between Ben and Bill. "You okay?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Peachy." Eddie nearly growled, trying to contain the anger growing inside of him. He forces himself to keep his eyes on the table, struggling to block out the sound of Richie and his desperate attempts to flirt.

"You think he'll actually do it?" Mike asked from next to Eddie, watching the situation that Eddie was now trying to avoid.

"I think he might, she seems to be into whatever bullshit he's spewing." Bev chuckles next to Ben, looking over her shoulder. Richie's hand is resting on the wall behind the girl, holding himself at arms length from her and still smiling wide.

"Must have pretty low standards if she's going after Richie." Eddie can't stop the words before they're tumbling out his mouth. Anyone else might think it's just Eddie being a dick but the losers brush it off, seemingly immune to how he , the conversation coming to a halt as Richie begins to make his way back to the table, a napkin in his hand and grinning from ear to ear.

"And that's how it's done, fellas." He bows and pulls a chair up to their booth, gaze falling on Eddie who is swirling his straw around in his water, listening to the clinking as the ice inside hits the glass of his cup.

"Only took you f-fifteen minutes, bravo." Bill retorts sarcastically, arm laying across the back of the booth where Stan is sitting.

"These things take time, Billiam." Eddie rolls his eyes, ignoring Richie's eyes when they fall back on him. Their group begins to disperse after another half hour or so until it's just Richie and Eddie left in the old booth at the diner, the sun setting around them.

"What's up, Spaghetti?" Richie tries, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair seeing Eddie do the same, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. Eddie shakes his head and decides it's best not to say anything about what he's feeling.

"Just tired, Rich." He slips his arms into his jacket, glancing up at Richie who still towers over him slightly. Richie smirks while locking eyes with Eddie who feels his breath catch in his throat. It's the same look he always gives him that makes Eddie hop into the backseat of his car and fall prey to Richie's irresistible lips.

He turns on his heel though with a roll of his eyes and heads toward the door, pushing it open and making the bell at the top jingle. Richie is right on his heels. "Eddie, come on, what's wrong?" He sounds so sincere that it make Eddie heart leap and he stops dead in his tracks, standing in the middle of the parking lot.

"I can't tell you." Eddie says over his shoulder. Richie looks around with squinted eyes and throws his hands in the air.

"Why the hell not?" He asks exasperated. "Did I do something? You've been ignoring me for half the night, what did I do?" Eddie clenches his fists at his sides and turns around to face Richie.

"It's nothing you did, okay? I was stupid and made a mistake, _you_ didn't do anything, Richie." He states firmly but the barely hidden venom laced in his words makes Richie reel bad slightly as if Eddie had just shoved him.

"Then why are you mad at me?" He asks, almost irrationally afraid of what the answer might be.

"I'm not mad at you! I'm mad at myself for thinking- for- Fuck." He shifts his gaze down to his shoes where they shuffle against the pavement beneath them. He inhales deeply, preparing himself for what he's about to say. "I think I'm in love with you," He can feel his heart begin to pick up pace, pounding so hard against his ribcage he's worried it might literally beat right out of his chest. He steals a glance at Richie's face and he's frozen, expression unreadable. "I know this is probably not what you want to here, I know we have... _whatever_ this is, but I need you to know."

Richie continues staring, jaw dropped slightly and shoulders sunken. He closes his mouth and his eyes dart around, looking for some unknowable thing all while keeping his gaze off Eddie. He knows that if he looks at him he might say something he will regret instead of what he actually wants to say, that he is in love with Eddie.

"Can you say something? Please?" Richie continues to look away from him, teeth digging into his bottom lip before releasing it and letting his lips part again. He desperately wants to tell him, needs to tell him, but he can't trust his own mind not to say something idiotic and completely, well, Richie.

After two minutes of Richie opening and closing his mouth while fighting to find the words to say Eddie sighs, lump forming in his throat as he begins to back away. "That's what I thought you'd say." He whispers to himself, trying to ignore the stinging in his eyes while he walks toward his car. He drives away before he can further embarrass himself.

He lay motionless in bed that night, staring at the ceiling above his bed as he recalls the events of the night. He wants to scream into his pillow but can't find it in him to move. He's exhausted and desperately needs to sleep but his thoughts keep him up until well past 3.

Just as he finally allows his eyes to fall shut, there's a series of light taps on his window. He heart jumps, head snapping toward the noise. He knows it's Richie from the way he tapped against the glass. Throwing his legs over the edge of his bed, Eddie pads over to the window, peeling the curtain and revealing the Trashmouth who was perched on the small area of roof with a small smile on his face.

He gestures for Eddie to unlock the window who obliged and pushes it up so Richie can crawl through, gangly limbs threatening to knock anything and everything down on their way inside. Eddie shushes him so he'll be careful and Richie smiles sheepishly.

"What are you doing here, Rich?" He whispers, folding his arms over his chest as if trying to hide his rapidly beating heart.

"You left before I could saying anything to you." Eddie scoffs and rolls his eyes quite dramatically and waves his arms frantically.

"I gave you a pretty big window to say something but you stood there looking like a fucking fish out of water." Eddie nearly exclaims, quickly forgetting about his mother. Richie steps forward, invading Eddie's space. He attempts to step backwards but winds up with his back against the wall and nowhere to go.

"I was shocked, Eds. I wanted to say something, oh so very much, but I couldn't. Felt like my mouth had been sewn shut." Richie takes a smaller step forward so that he's only standing about a foot away from Eddie whose breath visibly catches in his throat, heart still thrumming painfully against his ribcage. "It's a natural response, really. I mean," He places a hand against the cool wall next to Eddie's head, leaning close to the other boy's face. Close enough to feel his breath fanning over his face. "Especially when the boy I _love_, loves me back."

Eddie's gaze snaps back to meet Richie's now realizing their proximity is much closer than he originally thought. His heart is in his throat. "You- you love me?" He asks, his voice barely a whisper. "But what about earlier, at the diner, you and that girl-"

"I was trying, and failing, to get over you. Trying to find someone else." Eddie sighs inwardly and the corners of his mouth tick upward, a small smile spreading over his lips.

"Oh." Richie's hand slips from the wall to fall on Eddie's shoulder, gliding over and gently cupping the back of Eddie's neck. Richie's thumb traces circles just below his ear, stepping forward and resting his forehead against the shorter teens.

"I only want you, Eddie." He brushes their noses together, other hand falling to rest on Eddie's waist, pulling him closer. Richie gives him time to back away if he wants to, staring deep into his eyes. Eddie inhales sharply before surging up to meet Richie's lips, arms around his neck.

It’s just a soft press of lips, no teeth or tongues threatening to deepen it and make it more than it should be. He imagines this is what falling in love might have felt like had he been paying attention. He inhales deeply through his nose, Richie’s hands cradling his face delicately, lips disconnecting and reconnecting from Eddie’s at various angles. Eddie gasps with a soft smile when Richie pulled away, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth as did so, diving back in for more.

Their kisses prior to their current had been rushed and full of passion and desire, a longing to feel every inch of each other’s bodies before someone came home and accidentally saw them. This kiss is soft and tender and full of love and want. It felt so very right.

“Do you, um,” Eddie paused, eyes closed as he leans his head back against wall, Richie’s body pressing firmly against his enough to make him go completely insane. “Do you want to stay over?” His eyes open slow, pupils dilated and a glint in his eye that told Richie he had no intention of sleeping any time soon. If the last time they had sex was anything to off of, they would definitely end up waking Eddie’s mother from the sounds they know they’re going to make. Loud, sinful sounds.

“Plenty of time for that tomorrow, Spaghetti.” Richie says with a smile, tapping Eddie on the nose with his index finger. The latter pouts before walking around the taller boy to sit on his bed. Richie spins on his heel and walks over to Eddie, crouching in front of him. “My parents will freak if i’m not home tomorrow morning, I’ll be back tomorrow.” He promises, standing slightly to place his lips to the top of Eddie’s head, kissing it gently. “I love you.” He murmurs into the soft brown hair there before pulling away and standing fully, the crouching beginning to hurt his legs.

Eddie grabs his wrist to stop him, pulls him back down to meet his lips one last time before releasing him with a _smack_.

“I love you too.”

Richie smiles brightly and slides the window open, climbing back into the crisp night.


End file.
